Colorado Certificate of Insurance Policy Information

Colorado Certificate of Insurance (COI). There are inherent risks involved anytime a contractor works on a client's property. Life is full of risks, and contract work is particularly risky. Contractors may become injured on the job or damage property belonging to the client. When individuals and companies hire contractors to work for them, they want to be assured that any ideuries or damage does not end up costing them.

They also want to be assured that they don't have to pay for substandard work. A Colorado certificate of insurance gives clients this assurance.

A Colorado certificate insurance provides verification of your business insurance coverage. Get a fast quote and your COI now.

What Is A Colorado Certificate of Insurance?

An Colorado certificate of insurance is a document that's standard in the contracting business. It provides evidence that the contractor has insurance coverage and includes the type of coverage and the limits of the policy. It also lists the dates that the policy is in effect.

Around one out of every 25 claims resulting from errors and omissions involve a certificate of insurance. Around 36 percent of these cases involve contractors who failed to properly identify or add all parties who needed to be insured prior to commencing work. About 21 percent of the cases involve situation where the certificate's holder misrepresented the business' coverage or even claimed to have coverage that is nonexistent.

Why Do Clients Want To See Your Certificate?

The Colorado certificate of insurance is important because your company can be held liable if you work with a subcontractor who causes property damage or other damage when working on behalf of your company. Even when you have a contract with the subcontractor spelling out the terms of the contractor, and that contract states that coverage is mandatory, if the coverage actually doesn't exist, then it does your business no good; you're still liable for damage. Proof of coverage from subcontractors is therefore vital.

Who Should Ask to See the CO Certificate of Insurance?

As a business owner, you should seek a Colorado certificate of insurance from every subcontractor that you hire. Even among subcontractors that you know and trust, it remains vital that you get this proof of insurance prior to allowing the contractor to conduct business and provide services on your behalf. Each time you hire a subcontractor, even one you've worked with in the past, you should obtain a new CO certificate of insurance. This can prevent a situation where you absorb risk unwittingly when subcontractors do not have their own insurance in force.

Property owners should also ask for this certificate prior to allowing contractors to work on their properties when hiring contractors, landscapers and others. The reason for this is that:

It prevents you from taking on risks involved in hiring a company only to find out that the company or its subcontractors have improper insurance or none at all. This protects you from scenarios such as claims that arise if a neighbor's lawn, shrubs, or trees become damaged.

It ensures that you are not the responsible party if a contractor is injured while working on property you own.

It provides coverage if the contractor's work is shoddy or incomplete.

What to Look for When Examining a CO Certificate of Insurance

The first thing to remember when looking at a Colorado certificate of insurance is to remember that it is that the certificate may not be valid. Forged or false certificates are not unheard of, and the contractor may have allowed the insurance to lapse after purchasing a policy. Best practice dictates requesting the Colorado certificate of insurance from the contractor's insurance company in lieu of taking the contractor at his word and assuming the validity of the certificate.

When reviewing a Colorado certificate of insurance, look at:

The name on the certificate. It should match the name of the person or the company that you ire.

The coverage dates. Make sure the policy is not set to expire prior to the anticipated completion date for the job. If the certificate expires during a job, request a new one.

The limits on the policy and coverage type. The certificate should provide proof of general liability that protects against damage and worker's comp insurance that pays out if the person is injured while working. The limits of the policy should be sufficient to protect you from personal liability in the event of a major event.

In addition, you should ask to be named as an additional insured during the span of the project. By having another entity add your business as an additional insured that sub contractor is protecting you against their potential negligence.

Tracking a Certificate of Insurance

An insurance tracking firm can help you verify coverage throughout the job. These companies also provide notification of expiring certificates so that you don't have to keep track of the insurance and ensure it's in force. An insurance agent is also a good liaison in determining the validity of insurance and reviewing the Colorado certificate of insurance to ensure that it protects you from personal liability when working with contractors and subcontractors.

Colorado Economic Data & Business Insurance Information

If you're thinking about doing business in Colorado, it's important to familiarize yourself with the economic status of the state, as well as the regulations and limits regarding insurance for businesses. Below, we offer insight into pertinent economic data related to the state of Colorado, as well as key business insurance information so that you can put your best foot forward and make the best decisions for your business in the Centennial State.

Business Economic Trends In The State Of Colorado

According to recent reports from the leading economic researchers, the state of Colorado has a healthy outlook, economically speaking. While fewer jobs will be added in 2018 than have been in recent years, the growth rate is still expected to climb.

It's anticipated that entrepreneurs who are really interested in taking risks in new ventures will be the leading contributors for the state's economic growth. However, less risky industries will lend to the economy, as well, such as cloud computing and cybersecurity.

In regard to the fuel industry, it is anticipate that there will be an increase in valuation of about 9 percent in the year 2018, and this growth pertains mainly to gas and oil. This increase will largely be due to the improvement in energy prices, which are lower this year than they have been in recent years. It's hopeful that energy prices will continue to fall so that these industries can continue to thrive.

In terms of agriculture, it's projected that farms in the state of Colorado will do a little better this year than they did in 2017. Leading economic research agencies are expecting that the income from agriculture will reach nearly $1.4 billion in 2020.

In regard to the retail market, it is also expected that this industry will see steady growth, despite the rising trend of e-commerce solutions. In fact, it's estimated that the rate of employment in the retail sector will increase by as much as 2.1 percent during the 2020 fiscal year.

Regulations And Limits For CO Commercial Insurance

The Colorado Division of Insurance regulates insurance in Colorado. CO is considered a "fault state", meaning that business owners are not legally required to carry liability insurance; however, liability coverage is the type of commercial insurance that is most commonly purchased in the state. Commercial liability insurance covers business owners and their clients for things like bodily and personal injury, commercial property damage, and injuries that pertain to advertising injuries.

The only commercial insurance that business owners are required to carry is workers' compensation insurance. Any business that employees an hourly or wage staff must carry this type of coverage to protect their employees.

Additional Resources For Small Business Insurance

Protect your company and employees with the right commercial insurance policies. Read informative articles on small business insurance coverages - and how they can help shield your company from legal liabilities.

Your small business faces many potential disasters including: fire, floods, theft, equipment breakdown, lawsuits from clients or customers and current & former employees. Any many other risks you haven't even thought about.

A small business commercial insurance program should provide protection for both larger and smaller disasters. The obvious things like fire, flood and theft most business owners think about... but what if a hacker infects your computers with a virus - and files containing private customer information like credit card and Social Security numbers are stolen?

Who is going to pay to fix your customers credit rating etc...? Will your insurance pay for the cost? You need to know that.

Your commercial insurance program should cover events that can close down your company, or cause it to lose revenue. Anything less than that is not enough coverage. Commmercial insurance doesn't cover everything, and all policies have exclusions and limits.

You need a written plan that allows you to get your operations back up and running as quick as possible.

Also learn about Colorado small business insurance requirements for general liability, business property, commercial auto & workers compensation including CO business insurance costs. Call us
(720) 500-2051.

Disclaimer

The commercial insurance content available on this page is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal or financial advice.

General Liability Insure does not warrant or make any representations regarding the usefulness of or the expected results of the material contained on this website. You should contact your attorney, accountant and/or financial adviser to obtain advice with respect to any particular commercial insurance question, claim or issue.